Conventionally, gifts are given in containers such as a decoratively wrapped box or decorative bag. An example of such a box is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,497,876 to Fleming entitled "Combination gift box, greeting card, wrapping and decoration." Fleming is concerned with providing an attractive one-piece decorative gift container with enhancements, such as paper and ribbon, and an incorporated greeting card.
Another example is U.S. Pat. No. 5,282,537 to Wong entitled "Combination photo frame, gift box and greeting card." Wong discloses a combination gift article that simultaneously provides the features of a photo frame, gift box and greeting card. The combination gift article has a gift container mounted on one of the panels that may contain a small gift and/or a photograph.
In many circumstances, money, checks and/or gift certificates are given in a greeting card or envelope. This may be convenient and appropriate. However, greeting cards and envelopes are flat and may be easily misplaced or lost. Furthermore, opening a greeting card without an associated gift box or container may lack some excitement, or depending on the occasion, may be anticlimactic because the recipient is already anticipating a monetary gift. Furthermore, as soon as the recipient opens the card, the total amount of the gift is immediately apparent and the excitement is shortlived. This may discourage the giver from giving a monetary gift even when it is appropriate or even preferred to do so.
Various containers are known for enclosing money as a gift. U.S. Pat. No. 5,622,264 to Wetterlund entitled "Gift box for monetary gifts" discloses an example of a box for enclosing money as a gift. The box includes an insert with a platform having coordinated apertures for holding rolled-up paper money. Also, U.S. Pat. No. 5,641,062 to Burton et al. entitled "Combined greeting card and gift box apparatus" discloses a gift box which is formed from a foldable cardboard panel. The gift box includes a roll of tape for securing money in a coil inside the box.
However, it is desirable to provide a gift container for enclosing money, checks and/or gift certificates in a way that surprises the recipient, which includes a greeting card, which is simple to make and use, and which can be readily used again as a gift container or as a photo-album memento of the occasion.